A decade after he final performed beneath José Mourinho at Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso takes on his outdated boss as a coach.
A win over Mourinho’s Roma of their Europa League semifinal first leg in Italy Thursday would additional enhance Alonso’s rising popularity following a exceptional turnaround in Bayer Leverkusen’s fortunes this season.
Leverkusen hasn’t bought this far in Europe since shedding the 2002 Champions League closing to a Madrid aspect led by Zinedine Zidane. That’s one in every of a number of close to misses that earned the membership its “Neverkusen” nickname in Germany throughout the 30 years since its final trophy.
A two-time Champions League winner as participant, Alonso performed for Mourinho at Madrid from 2010 by 2013, profitable the La Liga and cup.
Alonso later recalled how he was immediately satisfied by Mourinho’s potential when the Portuguese coach took over at Madrid.
“I remember the first meeting with Mourinho. He came from Inter (Milan), we came from the World Cup that we won in South Africa (with Spain), and we met in Los Angeles. The first meeting, five minutes, you already know why he’s there and why he’s so good,” Alonso stated in a 2016 interview with British broadcaster Sky Sports.
Mourinho tipped Alonso as a possible coach of the longer term in a 2019 interview to advertise the Top Eleven online game.
“His father was a manager, so he grew up similar to me. He was born with a father-player, he grew up with a father-manager, then he became a player, of course much better than I was,” Mourinho stated, highlighting Alonso’s expertise taking part in for coaches like Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benítez.
“So, I think if you put all this together, Xabi has the conditions to be a very good coach.”
Alonso took over in October with Leverkusen within the relegation zone and has now hauled it as much as sixth in Germany. Previous coach Gerardo Seoane had certified the membership for the Champions League the season earlier than, however outcomes then slumped.
There had been doubts when Alonso received one in every of his first seven video games in a troublesome schedule. However, he constructed momentum after the World Cup and turned the younger squad recognized for its quick gamers right into a powerhouse in each Germany and the Europa League. Highlights embrace a comeback win over Monaco on penalties and a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich swiftly adopted by Bayern firing coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Leverkusen’s 14-game unbeaten run ended Friday in a 2-1 loss to native rival Cologne, however Mourinho’s Roma is coming off its personal bruising 2-0 loss to Inter. For each groups, profitable the Europa League is their greatest likelihood of taking part in Champions League video games subsequent season.
Many of Leverkusen’s high gamers are nonetheless bettering, with the tempo on the wings of 23-year-old Moussa Diaby and 22-year-old Jeremie Frimpong making the workforce a menace on the counterattack, whereas German midfielder Florian Wirtz, 20, and Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapié, 21, additionally appear on the right track for vibrant futures.
